The View’s Sherri Shepherd Thinks You’re Going To Hell, But That Doesn’t Make Her Anti-Gay

If you believe that gays and lesbians are going to hell, you are anti-gay. If you believe we deserve anything less than full equality under the law, you are anti-gay. Why is this complicated for Sherri Shepherd?

Sherri Shepherd, a cohost of The View, claims she’s not homophobic just because she believes homosexuality is a sin and LGBT people are going to hell.

Shepherd sought to defend herself in a recent interview with Fusionhost Alicia Menendez. When Menendez asked what Shepherd felt has been the biggest misconception about her has been throughout her career, she said it was that people had labeled her antigay — unfairly, in her opinion. Shepherd insisted she had no malice toward LGBT people, saying her beliefs are the result of her Christian background and though she hates the sin, she still loves the sinner.

“I think people don’t know my heart,” Shepherd told Menendez. “I think people feel I’m very judgmental. I think people feel I’m very homophobic. If they knew me, and knew my heart. … You grow up being a Christian and you grow up believing homosexuality is a sin; you’re going to hell if you’re a homosexual. This is something that they teach in churches. So it’s something that I grew up believing.”

People grow up being taught bigoted, wrong things all the time. Whether they choose to learn the truth and change their thinking is their business, but good Lord, Sherri, it’s 2014.

Also, “love the sinner, hate the sin” doesn’t even exist. It’s something that anti-gay religious people tell themselves because they don’t want to confront the fact that a central tenet of their belief system is hate. Stop saying it.

Enjoy the video below, and for more on the subject of what is and what is not anti-gay, check out this great piece at The Friendly Atheist.

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32 Comments

EshtoJanuary 17, 2014 at 3:15 pm -

Ignorant and judgmental is exactly what she is. Somehow, plenty of people raised with Christian beliefs find a way to not hate gay people and their relationships. The only thing standing in the way of Sherri from ditching this nonsense and accepting other people is herself.

Ben in oaklandJanuary 17, 2014 at 3:40 pm -

Sherri, you’re absolutely entitled to believe that being gay is a sin and that we’re going to hell. I don’t consider it necessarily antigay, just merely unthinking and abusive, a mistranslation and a misapplication of scripture, very much like used to be done with black people..

The real question is, do you make up stuff about us, and then use what you have made up about us to ensure that the law treats us differently than it does you. That’s what makes you antigay.

Priya LynnJanuary 18, 2014 at 11:17 am -

So Ben, you’re saying being unthinking and abusive towards gays isn’t necessarily anti-gay. I’d say that is the definition of anti-gay.

Ben in OaklandJanuary 18, 2014 at 11:32 am -

No, priya. I’m willing to let people have their religious beliefs, even if I think they’re wrong and abusive. I don’t really care what they believe, as long as they don’t try to use their religious beliefs as justification for legal discrimination in order to limit my participation in society.

In my wanderings over the web, I’ve come across a lot people who believe homosexuality is a sin, but who don’t believe that the coercive power of the state should be used to force those beliefs on people who don’t share them. I see no reason not to believe them.

A lot of people believe anything other than bible beating Christianity is a sin, but they don’t try to legislate those beliefs on others.

Priya LynnJanuary 18, 2014 at 4:31 pm -

Whether or not you want to let religious people have their beliefs is entirely a seperate issue from whether or not they are anti-gay. As you admit, Sheri is being ignorant and abusive towards gay people because she believes they’re going to hell, it necessarily follows that she’s anti-gay – you can’t have it both ways. When you are abusive to gays you ARE anti-gay, regardless of whether or not that abuse takes the form of trying to legislate their beliefs on others or if it only takes the form of assaulting people’s self-esteem and sense of peace.

Acknowledging that someone like Sheri is anti-gay in no way deprives her of her beliefs, its just an acknowledgement of reality.

JordanJanuary 22, 2014 at 5:41 am -

I echo your sentiments. This notion that people can say whatever they want and so long as they back it up by declaring they are Christian, then the opinion automatically becomes a respected opinion, and legitimate is laughable at best. Just because you have a religious based opinion does not make it a respectable one. Being gay is a human function, not a lifestyle, and debating an inherent human function like sexuality is like debating someone being left handed and calling that a sin. And it’s not just about legislative wins. Anti gay beliefs and thoughts hurt our LGBT youth. Believing being gay is a heathen sin is what drives parents to kick their LGBT children out of their homes and left homeless. It is what has our LGBT kids battling bullying by parents of bullies who encourage disdain for gays. It’s not just about a legislative fight for legislative wins. It’s about reshaping minds in regard to homophobia and not just kicking rocks and accepting it as a simple religious belief. Because if we allow that, religious people can (and might) choose any number other folks to persecute tomorrow. And I’m sure they can find or fabricate a bible verse to justify it.

DanielJanuary 27, 2014 at 4:16 pm -

Ben, you really lost me. I don’t know how someone who thinks gays are sinning and are going to Hell could not be considered anti-gay. She thinks we’re sinning and going to Hell–that seems pretty anti.

Ben in OaklandJanuary 28, 2014 at 11:07 am -

Daniel, though in general I would agree with you, I’m willing to give people the benefit of the doubt and a little room to move around. Not everyone agrees with me–hi, Priya!– but that’s ok with me.

In my many wanderings on line, I’ve talked with people who do indeed believe that homosexuality is a sin, but who also state categorically that they don’t believe our civil rights should be compromised in any way. I see no reason to disbelieve them. My best friend from childhood is a very conservative Christian, and thinks that way.

Do I think such interpretations of vague scriptures are wrong? absolutely. But then, I also think the scriptures that allegedly says that god so loved the world blah blah blah and if you don’t believe it you’ll burn in hell forever are also wrong. Do I think those people are anti non-Christian? not really. I think they’re misguided and have a limited understanding of ANYTHING.

It’s not what people say, but what they do that’s important to me. If they are too intellectually, morally, and compassionately lazy to examine what they “believe”. I’m not going to have the slightest Interest in them as people. But as long as they’re not actively seeking to harm me and mine, I don’t really care.

It’s a subtle difference, and I may well be wrong. But I’m willing to live and let live, as long as the same courtesy is extended to me.

Priya LynnJanuary 28, 2014 at 11:16 am -

Ben said ” I’ve talked with people who do indeed believe that homosexuality is a sin, but who also state categorically that they don’t believe our civil rights should be compromised in any way. I see no reason to disbelieve them. “.

No one said you should disbelieve them, the issue is whether or not such a person is anti-gay and if, as you agree, people such as Sheri are ignorant and abusive towards gays then they are necessarily anti-gay.

Ben said “But I’m willing to live and let live, as long as the same courtesy is extended to me.”.

I never suggested you behave otherwise. Acknowledging that Sheri and people like her are anti-gay in no way interferes with them living as they choose.

DanielJanuary 28, 2014 at 12:48 pm -

Ben, see, I just don’t think there’s room for doubt. As soon as someone says gays are sinners and are going to Hell they’ve put themselves in the anti category. I don’t see any other interpretation for that. I don’t really care about their Biblical interpretations, they’ve pretty much said that gays are bad.

DaveTheWaveJanuary 17, 2014 at 3:55 pm -

When these self-righteous religious asshats begin codifying their myth beliefs in public secular law is when they must be taken down, by force if necessary. The secular state that protects ALL people, not just a favored class (usually the rich, powerful and religious) must be made supreme at all costs.

SteveJanuary 17, 2014 at 5:13 pm -

Christians are so messed up. They really need therapy. It’s the usual cognitive dissonance. They like to pretend that they are nice people, but they’ve also been taught they will be eternally tortured if they don’t believe every word in the Bible. So they smile all the while telling others that they will be tortured for eternity.

BooJanuary 18, 2014 at 10:58 am -

Because the way to fight people who make blanket negative statements about a population is to make blanket negative statements about a different population.

JordanJanuary 22, 2014 at 5:35 am -

Please spare us the bleeding heart. Christians have ben behind every single anti gay legislation in this country. You want us to white wash it and overlook that fact to support the brand image of the church. I owe my LGBT community transparency and honesty, I don’t owe organized religion anything. And to demand we ignore the significance of homophobia practiced in the church and outside the church by religious groups, notably Christians, is to ask for us to be ignorant. No thank you. Devout Christians who actively campaign for gay rights are outliers and hardly the majority.

DanielJanuary 27, 2014 at 4:16 pm -

Oh Boo. Give it a rest.

Bose in St. Peter MNJanuary 17, 2014 at 6:10 pm -

Shorter Shepherd: To all the LGBT folks who have been nudged or pushed into running from their families’ faith traditions and communities, keep on running. Well, except you’d better watch the front lawns of churches like mine for abandoned youth and families desperate for the life support we Christians refuse to offer them.

SeanJanuary 17, 2014 at 6:14 pm -

Well I believe she is going to be violently tortured by Hades and deserves it because she thinks I am going to burn in “Hell” simply because I am what nature made me. My religion is historically much older than hers. So I am right and she is wrong and that doesn’t make me anti-whatever she is.

SeanJanuary 17, 2014 at 6:20 pm -

P.S. Incorrect use of the word “lifestyle”. I am not a lifestyle. I am a human being. Goth is a lifestyle. Preppy is a lifestyle. Her lifestyle however; expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry, the fact that she is not married to the father of her son, her accepting herself as an idol as people pay homage to her as a celebrity, the dancing with a man who is not your husband and many more means she is going to burn in “Hell”.

StojefJanuary 17, 2014 at 7:11 pm -

And I totally believe God LOVED when Sherri played Rhonda on an episode on Friends, stood up, put her hands on her breasts and said “My name’s Rhonda! And these aren’t real!”

Because touching one’s breasts on television for millions to see is very Godly.

Richard RushJanuary 17, 2014 at 7:11 pm -

If she bothers to make a public assertion that she believes “homosexuality is a sin and LGBT people are going to hell,” I assume she must have something more in mind. Does she hope we are going to tremble in fear of going to hell, and then repent? If so, it doesn’t matter because her religion is delusional nonsense. Or is it also intended to legitimize denying us civil equality? If so, she needs to 1) prove that her god exists, or since she can’t do that, 2) show why her imagined god’s will should supersede the Constitution.

Scott AmundsenJanuary 17, 2014 at 8:55 pm -

“I think people don’t know my heart…”

You don’t have one, you vile b***h. You better not do any whining about racism.

Priya LynnJanuary 18, 2014 at 11:21 am -

You win the thread Scott.

SemajJanuary 18, 2014 at 2:08 am -

So she admits that she believes people could be born gay, she won’t argue that point. If she truly believes in God then she must believe God created all human beings. So is she saying God made a mistake? Wouldn’t she think God created gay people for a reason? She’s crazy. I used to like this woman, but now I think she’s _______.

Evidently she’s a bigoted member of daytime show ‘the view’ (which I’d never heard of either) or something like that. But I wouldn’t suggest watching it, the only people who watch it to begin with are immobile octagenarians who have no access to a remote control.

Regan DuCasseJanuary 18, 2014 at 12:02 pm -

Well, not that I was ever much of a fan, but Ms. Shepard gave me cause NOT to be one.
I’m so sick of the b******t line of rationalizing looking down on gay people. I really am.
I especially can’t stand WOMEN playing the Christianity card when it’s never been the Bible or any other religious texts that’s protected their civil and human rights.
It’s the Constitution and Bill of Rights that protects us all and should. The most influential religion in the world are the most misogynist. And any professed Christian that knows they ARE protected by modern social justice, yet are oh so willing to pick and choose who should be denied it, is a hypocrite, contradictory PHONY.

Sherri is no better than the KKK morons who used the bible to excuse their hatred of blacks. She is repeating the exact same kind of bigotry. Just because something is in the bible, doesn’t make it moral or right. The Bible instructs parents to stone their children to death for cursing for christ-sakes! Where is the logic in that? I think it’s about time we got rid of biblical ‘morality’ and replaced it with kindness and mercy. The Bible also openly endorses slavery, yet she didn’t bring that up either. You can always tell what kind of a ‘Christiain’ people are based on the scriptures they EXCLUDE.

ChristopherJanuary 18, 2014 at 6:09 pm -

What would she think if a religion taught that being black was a sin, and black people were going to hell? Wouldn’t it be the same for a person in that religion to make the argument she is making by “loving the person, but hating the sin”?

Marvin the MartianJanuary 19, 2014 at 12:17 am -

What makes Sherri’s position all the more hypocritical is that it was the gay community that helped give her her start. Back in the mid 90s, she did standup at Rage in West Hollywood as part of an open mic talent show hosted by The Lovely Carol. I will admit that Sheri was one of the funniest comediannes I’ve ever heard live, and as a result, she won the weekly competition on two occasions, which gave her the opportunity to come back and be judged by actual entertainment industry people. Shortly afterwards, her career took off. If it wasn’t for our community, she wouldn’t be where she is now. I would love to confront her to her face about this.

Regan DuCasseJanuary 19, 2014 at 2:33 pm -

EXCELLENT point! I’d forgotten about that, but I remember vividly where and when she got her start.
A lot of entertainers can credit gay people for it, whether the gay people owned venues, were producers of tv and theater productions and films.
On the one hand you get some who NEVER forgot their roots and who loved them the most when they were unknown and struggling and not yet rich and famous, like Bette Midler.
I can also attest that I got a great deal of support and love from the gay community in my own artistic endeavors.
So Sherri’s comments are a disgrace considering it’s SHE who has forgotten not just where she came from, but who contributed to where she IS.

It is ignorant for anyone to think that you can change someone else’s belief and would never consider someone like this to be a hypocrit because you don’t simply go against what your religion teaches you just because someone says your judgmental and says you shouldn’t believe it because it’s discrimination it is not a thing of weather you hate or like gay people or not it’s a matter of true or false and the bible teaches that everything written in it is true and should be followed word for word and it teaches that homosexuality is a sin and you will never convince someone to change there opinion no matter what you say. The Bible teaches hate as a sin to and what people think as of hate these days is ridiculous there’s a huge difference between not liking someone and hating them and just because I believe there doing something wrong doesn’t mean I hate the person were not judging gay’s were telling them what we believe is wrong and if they don’t want to believe it were not forcing it on them

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